Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-05
Girls Recon- ing Masculine.

THEY ARE GROWING LESS FEMININE rHRouGH WORK
ING SIDE BY SIDE WITH MEN.
New York Letter to the Indianapolis News.
There has been created In New York city O class
raphers type-writers secretaries and other INTEL
lectual occupations Because several scandals
have become notorious among them careless
tongues wag recklessly, but as rule they are Just
about the incest loveiest girls in town. philan.
thropfc matron Of millions said to me: "Half the
tiers are put to. the approaches they must forever
guard against, the Insults they must pocket OF
digest One young woman I know OF secured q
place as secretary TO lawyer one day, and next
day he flung his arms around her and kissed her.
Another mad 10 carry manuscript to an office every
now and then, and Que day the white-haired
mead OF the place vowed he loved her. He
said he was unhappiiy married, but he hoped
that would provoke her sympathy and not her
dislike: An employe OF the customs service. not
sent TO search suspected woman smuHgler and
when she undertook her task the smugg Ter proved
10 be man. very keen-witted, praciicat humOr.
LIST. One concern In town, which employs hun
dreds OF grls put detectives on the sidewalk to
prevent them from being insulted out OF doors by
persons waiting for them 10 come out. The de-
tectives would be more useful inside the building
But the subject makes me wax warm as ponder
over 1t, and the things which know about
womenS WORK beside man pour In on my intellect
like young Niagara. You would also be indlx-
naht could you know he sum or torture girls put
up with to keep ioOr-walkers and superintendent
charged; the armOr they have to wear TO keep EN-.
ployers In their places: the things they have TO
hear and see In silence, knowing there is no re-
dress but to throw up their nvings."
The speaker Is a leader in the Woman's Christian
Association ana no exaggeratOr. She continued
II am more inclined To agree with thos' male
critics OF our sex who say that they md the work.
ing girls growing demoraltzed by contact WITH tue
noble lords OF the race not by losing their honor,
but by growing callous and cynical, and develop.
Ing rare ability to talk back In the same coarse
language with which they re addressed-'to give
as good as they get as the saying goes. There
are thousands or honest girls Ia tHis town who
have become like that. II there is any revolu-
ton in the sex II Is the that has resulted In
this new growth OF girls, who pride themselves On
knowing everything, and beng able to meet any
sort OF man without q blush, and with cudgels
OF slang and dubious repartee to fight him on
with. They are almost like q third sex. They are
honest women, as the saying goes, but with skins
TOO tough for a blush to pierce, and wi. b none OF
that shs ness and mOdesty which have won woman
half her battles thus far. That's what putting
woman side by side with men in business Is doing
or IL Is one Thing 1t Is doing to say the least The
man who tries 10 prove the sex gilL-edged by
working with the rin-ran Of maledom, without
the protection OF parents and brothers, or any
other means OF keeping the average man in check,
Is dear, well-meaning, dumping hearted feuOw,
but he has Aeap 70 learn, all the same"